Game apparatus



July 29, 1941 D. s. JOHNSTON GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1, 1939 Dh/E C3.JOHNS TON INVENTO ATTOQN X Patented July 29, 1941 UNETED stares l i i'ih'i OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to the type of game played with a ball attachedto a racquet by an elastic cord.

.The apparatus for the game now in common use consists of a racquet orpaddle, adapted to be held in the hand, to the facial center of which isfastened one end of an elastic cord. Atthe opposite end of the said cordis a ball of suitable size.

The game is played by striking the ball with the racquet, driving it tothe limit of the clasticity of the connecting cord, and striking it withthe racquet when it is drawn back by the elastic cord, driving it forthagain. The score is arrived at by counting the number of times theplayer is able to hit the ball on its return, and the count is madevisually and mentally.

This invention improves on the aforementioned apparatus and the gameplayed therewith by having a counting and recording device attached tothe rear face of the racquet or paddle, said recording device beingoperatively attached to a cord extending through the center of theracquet to which is attached the playing ball by means of an elasticcord. Each time the ball is struck by the racquet is automaticallyrecorded by the pull on the said. cord when the ball in play reached thelimit of its outward passage.

In this invention, another element of skill is added to the playershazard by having the operating cord through a button, or bulls eye,located at the center of the racquet. This button is operativelyconnected to a separate set of counting wheels in the recording deviceand records only the direct hits made in the center of the racquet bythe ball on its return passage.

This invention may be used as a training racquet by athletes in trainingfor tennis, squash, and other ball and racquet games, in the playing ofwhich it is necessary to strike the ball accurately with the center ofthe face of the racquet.

In the accompanying drawing, attached hereto and made a part of thisspecification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the racquet, showing the playing ballattached to the front face and the recording device attached to therear.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the recording device with the protectingcover removed.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear View of the racquet.

Referring to the drawing, upon which like reference numerals indicatelike parts throughout:

The racquet, or striking implement, I, dependent from which is thehandle 2, has mounted on its rear face a counting and recordinginstrument 3. The counting and recording mechanism 3 is provided withtwo separate sets of recording wheels, 4? and 5. The recording wheels 4are operated by the cord 6 to which is attached the elastic cord 1,which in turn is attached to the playing ball 8. When the ball 8 isstruck by the racquet I it travels to the elastic limit of the elasticcord 1, and through the cord 5, causes the lever 9, which is pivoted onthe transverse shaft it, to compress the coiled spring H, and allows thepawl 12 mounted on the opposite end of the lever 9 to engage a tooth onthe escapement Wheel I3.

When the play ball 8 has started on its return toward the racquet I, thespring ll', acting through the lever 51 and the pawl 12, causes thenumber Wheel M, which is integral with the escapement wheel I3, toadvance one number.

Integrally mounted on the side of the number wheel M, is the pin I5which, once in each complete revolution of the number wheel, engages thepinion l6 mounted on the shaft l1 and in passing moves it forward onetooth. This pinion it also engages a gear l8, integral with the numberwheel 69, and advances the said number wheel 19 one number. There areten teeth on the gear 18, corresponding to the numbers on the face ofthe number wheel Hi. This mechanism is repeated for as many numberWheels as may be in the recording device. The numbers on the peripheryof the number wheels are read through the slotted apertures 20 in thehinged cover 2|.

The series of number wheels 5 is operated in the following manner.

The bulls eye button 22 is arranged to move freely in the aperture 23 inthe racquet I and projects slightly from the front or striking face ofthe racquet I The button 22 is pierced by the centrally located hole 24,through which the cord 6 may move freely and is provided at its innerend with a flange 25 adapted to prevent the button 22 from passingcompletely through the aperture 23.

The flange 25 impinges upon the plate 26, which is guided by the sidewalls 21 made integral with the said plate 26 in such a manner as tocause only suflicient inward movement as to allow the spring pawl 28 toengage the adjacent tooth of the escapement wheel 29. The pawl 28 ispivotally connected to the inner end of a standard 28 integral with theplate 26 and a spring a.

actuates the pawl 28 when the plate 26 is urged inwardly by the button22 when the latter is depressed by the ball 8. Each inward movement ofthe plate 26, to which is integrally attached the side wall members 2!which guide the plate 26, causes the counting mechanism to registeranother sequence. The next outward pull on the cord 6 causes the seriesof number wheels 5 to record one more number.

By means of this arrangement the series of number Wheels 5 records onlythe direct hits of the ball 8 upon the outer face of the button 22. Thereading of the score of direct hits is made through the slotted aperture30 in the cover 2 l.

The series of number wheels 5 operates in the same manner as do thenumber wheels 4. An integral pin 3| is attached to the side of the firstof the number wheels 5 and engages a pinion 32 mounted on a shaft 33extending laterally through the mechanism 3, as shown in Figures 2 and3, between the standard 28' and the side wall members 21. The pinion 32meshes with a gear 34 integral with the second number wheel of theseries 5 and advances the same one number when the pinion is partiallyrotated by the pin 3|.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a striking racquet havingmounted upon the rear face thereof a dual registering mechanism, anelastic cord operatively connected to one of the said registeringmechanisms having a ball secured to its free end, a button centrallylocated and protruding from the striking face of the said racquetoperatively attached to the other of the said registering mechanisms andhaving a central bore therethrough, the said cord operatively arrangedthrough the said bore and adapted to actuate the first named mechanismwhen a pull is exerted thereon by the said ball.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a striking racquet havingmounted upon the rear face thereof two series of counting andregistering wheels, each having numbers decimally arranged on theperiphery thereof, integrally mounted gears with teeth corresponding tothe said numbers, pinions operatively engaging the said gears and pinsintegral with the said number wheels adapted to contact the pinionsengaging the gear on the adjacent number wheels, escapements integralwith the initial movement wheel of the said series, a pawl operativelymounted on a pivoted lever having a limited movement sufficient to turnthe said escapement one tooth, in the first of the said series, amovable button operatively arranged through the said racquet andconnected with the second of the said series, an elastic cordoperatively attached to the said lever passing through an aperture inthe center of the said button, and adapted to actuate the first of thesaid series, a playing ball attached to the end of the said elasticcord, and a coiled spring operatively adapted to return the said leverand the said button to equilibrium after each passage of the said ballfrom and its return to the racquet.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a striking racquet havingmounted upon the rear face thereof a series of counting and registeringwheels having numbers decimally arranged on the periphery thereof,integrally mounted gears with teeth corresponding to the said numbers,pinions operatively engaging the said gears, pins integral with the saidnumber wheels adapted to contact the pinion engaging the gears on theadjacent number wheels, an escapement wheel integral with the initialnumber wheel of the said series, a pawl operatively mounted on a pivotedlever having a limited movement sufficient to turn the said escapementone tooth and a cord having a ball secured to its free end operativelyattached to the said lever passing through an aperture in the center ofthe racquet adapted to actuate certain of the said counting andregistering wheels when a pull is exerted thereon by the said ball.

4, In a game apparatus, the combination of a striking racquet havingmounted upon the rear face thereof a series of counting and registeringwheels having numbers decimally arranged on the periphery thereof,integrally mounted gears with teeth corresponding to the said numbers,pinions operatively engaging the said gears, pins integral with the saidnumber wheels adapted to contact the pinions engaging the gears on theadjacent number wheels, an escapement wheel integral with the initialmovement wheel of the said series, a pawl operatively mounted on apivoted lever having sufficient movement to turn the said escapement onetooth and an elastic cord having a ball secured to its free endoperatively attached to the said lever passing through an aperture inthe center of the racquet and adapted to actuate the said wheels when apull is exerted thereon by the said ball.

DEWEY S. JOHNSTON.

